


Holly

by lemonoclefox



Series: Sway [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, Holidays, M/M, Magic, Winter Solstice, Witchcraft, Witches, modern witches, so fucking soft tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 10:46:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17140367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemonoclefox/pseuds/lemonoclefox
Summary: It's the holidays.





	Holly

**Author's Note:**

> Have a little holiday special! This oneshot takes place a couple of months after 'Sway', but has nothing to do with an overarching story. Whatever happened between then and this... well, maybe I'll get to that some other time. Until then, have some fluff, short and sweet.
> 
> (check out [my little soundtrack](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H00sMjgJDo), while you're at it)

With the flick of a light switch, the shop is gradually, softly illuminated. Gently prodding and stirring, so early in the morning, before the winter sun has risen over the city.

Alec sighs easily as he unwinds his scarf and heads into the back room, the shop's front door falling shut behind him. He absently twists his fingers over his shoulder in a silent, almost-snap, and the lock clicks into place, keeping out people as well as the morning chill. He feels his face flush from the sudden contrast of freezing to warm, small pins and needles pricking his skin, in a not entirely unpleasant way.

The routine is something Alec enjoys, hanging up his coat before putting on some coffee, doing a round through the small shop to make sure everything is in order. He checks his schedule, sees that there's a delivery coming in this afternoon, and makes a note of ordering more pressed paper and jade. He has no idea why that particular stone has become so popular lately, but he's not about to argue with the rules of supply and demand.

When opening time rolls around, Alec unlocks the front door and flips the sign against the window from _closed_ to _open._ He's expecting a slight influx of customers over the next few days; the solstice is a big deal, especially since it so conveniently coincides with Christmas. Many witches like to enjoy both celebrations together, without any religious undertones.

Alec reaches up to a small shelf high up on the wall, in the opposite corner of the shop, and lifts down a small clay bowl, careful not to spill its contents. The murky potion inside will be good for another few days, at least, and he sets the bowl down on the counter, next to the register. He still has another little while of quiet, before the shop really starts up for the day.

Behind the counter, he runs his gaze along the myriad of small oak boxes, carefully lined up and slotted together on several rows of shelves, each one meticulously marked and labeled in Alec's own neat, albeit plain, handwriting. His fingers follow his eyes, trailing lightly over the smooth wood surfaces, trying to decide on today's mood. After a moment of ambivalence, he settles on cloves, and pulls out the right box―he can do juniper tomorrow.

A few dried buds are picked out of the paper bag within the box, and gently dropped into the bowl on the counter, floating atop the swamp-colored potion that at the moment looks entirely unremarkable. Alec quickly remedies that, tracing some patterns along the edges of the clay container with his finger, watching the trails faintly glow before vanishing, as though dissipating into the clay itself. Within moments, the cloves have been pulled beneath the surface of the liquid inside, and Alec turns around to put the wooden box back where he found it, sliding it into its glaringly vacant spot on the shelf. Once again, the wall of shelves is smooth and unbroken, organized, reaching in height just a head above Alec.

The air is slowly filling with a pleasant scent, tickling Alec's nose in a non-intrusive way, and he picks up the clay bowl―it's now just slightly warm against his palms―and places it back on the small, lone shelf in the corner of the room. He adjusts a small bough of holly attached to the edge of a bookcase he passes on his way back to the front of the shop, and makes a mental note of getting restocking on holly as soon as possible. It tends to sell out quickly, this time of year.

By the time the sun is up and the streets outside are bustling with life, Alec is engrossed in a paperback brought from home, this one about some murder mystery or other. The steady trickle of customers is, as predicted, a little more considerable than usual, and Alec makes sure to look up and greet them all with a smile when they come through the door. He recognizes most of them, as they come in here rather regularly, but some faces are new. He hopes they'll stick around.

He has caved in to the holiday spirit―Christmas, or otherwise―and has put on some music, just soft instrumentals drifting throughout the shop. He will admit it's rather pleasant, especially with the scents in the air, and he sips some of the mulled wine poured into the cup that usually holds his coffee. He has already had his morning shot of caffeine, anyway.

More than one customer picks up a bottle of mulled wine or cider after asking about the sweet-smelling contents of Alec's cup―the drinks are made by a local witch, some of the bottles enchanted and some not. Just light spells, for calm, protection, anything to ease the holiday stress and bring some joy where it's needed. By noon, at least half of Alec's stock is gone. He wonders if he'll be able to get more on such short notice.

After noon, Alec's day takes an even more pleasant turn. He barely has a chance to look up at the sound of the door jingling, before his heart practically bursts out of his chest.

"Hi there." Magnus is already smiling, and Alec can feel his face lighting up with a smile of his own.

"Hey," he says, putting his book down. Magnus gives a quick glance around the shop, before unceremoniously leaning over the counter and giving Alec a peck on the lips, the cold touch making Alec involuntarily shiver.

"Sorry," Magnus says as he pulls back, but his chuckle tells Alec he's not sorry at all.

"You'll make it up to me," Alec deadpans. "I thought you weren't coming until later?"

Magnus shrugs delicately.

"Extended lunch break," he says with a wave of a gloved hand. "I don't exactly have a strict boss to answer to."

Alec smiles, nodding.

"Mhm," he says, eyes drawn to the white flakes melting in Magnus's hair and on his shoulders. It's been snowing for the past couple of hours―you can see it through the display window facing the street. He pauses. "We still on for Friday, by the way?"

Magnus straightens a little, as though surprised by the question.

"Of course," he says. "Why?"

Alec opens his mouth, fumbles a little, shrugs.

"Nothing," he says. "You've just seemed a little... hesitant about it."

"I was," Magnus admits. "But―" He steps around the counter, with the air of someone sneakily breaking a rule― "I'll admit that the thought of spending some time with your siblings isn't all bad. Once you get used to it."

"Oh," Alec says with raised eyebrows and a smile, as he turns his chair to face Magnus. "How generous of you."

Magnus flicks Alec's ear with his finger, and Alec huffs a laugh.

"It's been a while since I celebrated the solstice," Magnus says. "Let alone with other people."

"I know," Alec says, hands settling on Magnus's hips, looking up at him. Magnus lightly runs his fingers through Alec hair, as though smoothing a stray curl into place, and Alec can just barely resist leaning into the touch like a cat. "Which is why I appreciate you doing it. And why I keep double-checking that you haven't changed your mind."

"I wouldn't." Magnus drops a kiss on Alec's head. "I'll even bring dessert."

A softer smile pulls at Alec's lips.

"Sounds great."

Magnus  sighs and just stares at Alec for a minute, as though lost in thought, before an approaching customer jerks him out of it. He takes a step back as Alec's hands drop from his hips, Alec instead standing up and turning to face the young woman at the register. She doesn't seem too bothered by his slightly unprofessional behavior, instead just smiles as though charmed by it, and Alec decides that it's his shop, either way―he gets to decide what goes here and what doesn't.

The witch ends up buying a bottle of cider along with the rest of her haul―some holly, a sprig of pine, various stones Alec suspects are for some specific spell or other, judging by the combination―and smiles brightly at both Alec and Magnus, before leaving. As the door falls closed behind her, momentarily letting in some bitingly cold air quickly cut off by a light jingle, Alec exhales, leaning with his hands against the counter. Magnus's palm smoothes its way across his back, and he can feel his entire body relax, warmth rippling through his veins and across his skin.

"Hi," he whispers, turning his head slightly.

"Hello," Magnus replies, just as quietly. Then he smiles, a little conspiringly, flicking a glance upward.

"Mistletoe," he says, smoothly stepping forward into Alec's space as Alec straightens up. Alec looks up at the innocuous plant hanging above them, one of many attached to the ceiling beams, throughout the shop. Much like the holly, they're for magickal purposes, protective more than aesthetic or traditional, and Magnus knows it. Alec can't help being charmed by his flirtations, all the same.

He hums, nodding, sliding his hands up along Magnus's sides before settling comfortably at his waist. Lithe muscles and warm skin press against his palms through the shirt beneath the unbuttoned coat, and Magnus's smile widens a little.

"Yeah," Alec says. He inclines his head, with another upward glance. "Probably full of nargles, though."

He feels Magnus pull back just a little bit, and looks back down to see him staring flatly.

"Did you just ruin my smooth move with a Harry Potter reference?" he says, his tone mirroring his expression. As in, highly unamused.

"Oh, there's plenty more where that came from," Alec says, and Magnus narrows his eyes. He hums.

"I'm sure."

Alec grins, tightening his grip around Magnus's waist as he leans in and presses a soft kiss to his lips. Magnus, annoyance forgotten, moves a hand up to the back of Alec's neck, pulling him in a little closer and prolonging the kiss, deepening it. It makes it exceedingly hard to pull away. Alec could stay kissing Magnus like this for hours, actually has on an occasion or two, just reveling in the intoxicating flow of magick as well as chemistry―but he still manages to resist, parting their lips with a deep, contented sigh.

"Well," Magnus says easily. "I guess I'll just add that to my list of slightly unexpected things I've learned about you, so far."

Alec frowns.

"What?"

"You like Harry Potter," Magnus says. "I like Harry Potter. It works." Alec snorts, rolls his eyes. "I bet you know your House, and everything."

Alec pouts a little, thinking.

"Well, I do," he says, tilting his head.

"And what is it?"

"What's yours?"

"What makes you think I know mine?" Alec raises his eyebrows pointedly, and Magnus cocks his head. "Fair enough." A pause. "So what is it?"

"Guess."

Magnus narrows his eyes.

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

"You're very determined about this."

"I need the closure," Magnus says with a lift of his chin. "Besides, I need to know if we're a match. This could be a dealbreaker."

Alec folds in a smile, amused by Magnus's dramatic flair, even with the smallest of things. It's just one of many traits he has grown to love about him in the past couple of months since they met.

"Well, I guess I'll tell you," he says solemnly, with a sigh. He opens his mouth to speak, before he suddenly cuts himself off and removes his hands from Magnus's waist. "Actually, I need to do some stuff first."

Magnus just gapes at him.

"What kind of stuff?"

"Just stuff." Alec gives him a quick kiss before backing away, grinning, heading further into the shop to busy himself with something not even remotely important. Which Magnus already sees right through, of course.

"Alexander," he says warningly.

"I'm sorry, I just can't tell you right now," Alec says with an apologetic shrug, turning around. "Guess we'll talk about it later."

"No, come on," Magnus says, following him. "Don't do this to me."

"Do what?"

"Leave me hanging," Magnus replies dramatically, hurt.

"I'm busy, can't be helped."

"What a Slytherin move," Magnus says, eyes narrowed, but Alec just gives him a neutral look, not one to be baited into revealing anything. Magnus groans. "I hate you."

Alec chuckles.

"No, you don't," he says. Magnus smiles, kissing his cheek.

"No, I don't."

**Author's Note:**

> [Find me on the twitters!](http://twitter.com/lemonoclefox)


End file.
